Transport Across the Plasma Membrane

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms related to the transport mechanisms across the plasma membrane.

Hydrophilic

Substances that are water-loving and can easily dissolve in water.

Lipophilic

Substances that are fat-loving and can dissolve in lipids.

Plasma membrane

A biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of the cell from the outside environment.

Noncarrier-mediated transport

Transport that occurs by simple diffusion through the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane.

Protein-mediated transport

Transport that involves specific transporter proteins allowing polar or charged substances to pass through the membrane.

Facilitated diffusion

A type of passive transport that uses specific transporter proteins to move substances down their concentration gradient.

Active transport

A type of transport that requires energy to move substances against their concentration gradient.

Passive transport

The movement of substances across the plasma membrane without the use of energy, moving down the concentration gradient.